Garment hanger



GARMENT HANGER Filed Feb. 7. 1966 37 INVENTOR.

' FIG. 4 JAMES H. 066

BY. 8mm flwzzu' w ATTORNEYS United States Patent Claims This inventionrelates generally to garment hangers and more particularly to animproved hanger particularly adapted to hold trousers, skirts, and thelike.

Many garment hangers have been proposed which attempt to overcome theproblem of clothes falling from the hangers. Towards that end, hangershave been provided with clamps, springs, clips, and similar devices towhich a garment is attached to thereby secure it to the hanger. Suchdevices, while adequately securing the garment to the hanger, are oftenawkward tomanipulate and, moreover, often comprise relatively complexarrangements which increase the cost of the hanger. Further, thesedevices increase the possibility of tearing the garment in attempting toremove the same from the hanger.

-With the foregoing in mind, it is accordingly a primary object of thisinvention to provide an improved garment hanger in which the foregoingproblems are overcome.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a garment hangerparticularly adapted for supporting skirts, trousers, and the like sothat they hang in a wrinkle-free manner while additionally providingmeans for hanging skirts, slips, and the like.

Another object is to provide a novel hanger incorporating integrallyconstructed gripping means for securely holding garments without the useof clips, clamps, pins, or the like to the end that the garment will notbe wrinkled, snagged, or inadvertently torn, and to enable labor saving.

Another object is to provide a novel hanger which, in accordance withthe preceding object, is inexpensive and simple and rugged inconstruction.

Still a further object is to provide a hanger which may be integrallyformed by plastic molding or the like thereby lending itself to massproduction.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this inventionare attained by providing a garment hanger having a symmetrical bowedframe portion to which a hook member is secured for hanging the hangerfrom a rod or support. The bowed frame portion may include a pair ofspaced slots for receiving the straps of slips and the like, in additionto holding a blouse in a conventional manner.

The garment hanger includes novel integral means for gripping andsupporting trousers, skirts, and the like so that the same will hang ina smooth, natural manner. Towards this end, a pair of generallyparallel, vertically spaced members have their outer ends integrallysecured to each end of the bowed frame portion and extend towards eachother in longitudinal alignment. The inner ends of each pair of membersare coupled to an intermediate portion of the bowed frame portion andare disposed in spaced opposed relationship to provide a space definedin the central portion of the hanger for receiving a garment. With sucha construction, the garment may be slipped between the vertically spacedmembers, which then hold the garment in place.

The frame portion and gripping means of the hanger are preferablyconstructed of a molded plastic material and are formed in such a mannerthat the portions comprising the gripping means are resilient such thata springlike gripping action is provided.

A better understanding of the invention will now be 3,421,669 PatentedJan. 14, 1969 had by referring to a preferred embodiment thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the novel garment hanger inaccordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 22 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG- URE 2 and showing aportion of the gripping means of the hanger in an expanded positionprior to receiving a garment; and,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the garment hanger of FIGURE 1receiving and supporting a garment thereon.

:Referring first to FIGURES l and 2, there is shown a garment hanger 10including a symmetrical bowed frame member 11 having a central orintermediate portion 12. The frame member 11 terminates in end portions13 and 14, respectively, which are eq-ui-distantly spaced from thecentral portion 12.

A pair of braces 15 and 16 are joined to the frame 11 and extendupwardly into integral connection with a crossbrace 17. A hook member 18is rotatably secured to the cross-brace 17 to extend upwardly forengaging a rod or support to thus suspend the hanger in a conventionalmanner.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the braces 15, 16, and 17 are arranged withrespect to the top portion of the frame member 11 so as to define aspace 19 which may be used to receive a card, label, or plastic insertfor identifying the size or style of the .garment on the hanger. Suchuse is particularly adapted for commercial sales wherein the buyer mayreadily identify the size or style of the garment on the hanger, orwherein a trademark or trade name, for example, may be publicized.

A pair of transversely bowed support members 20 and 21 are joined to theframe member 11 adjacent to the central portion 12 and extend downwardlyto terminate in lower end portions 22 and 23, respectively. The supportmembers 20 and 21 preferably extend at an angle with respect to eachother to thus define a generally triangular space 24, as shown. Thetransverse curvature of the support members is best shown in FIGURE 2wherein the support member 21 is shown in a side elevational view. Thepurpose of the arrangement of the support members 20 and 21 will becomeclearer as the description proceeds.

A first lower frame member 25 is integrally joined to the end portion 13of the frame member 11 and extends inwardly along a portion of thelongitudinal extent of the frame member 11 into integrally joinedconnection with the lower end portion 22 of the support member 20. In asimilar manner, a second lower frame member 26 extends between the endportion 14 of the frame member 11 and the lower end portion 23 of thesupport member 21. The lower frame members 25 and 26 are arranged inlongitudinal alignment with each other and are disposed in the plane ofthe bowed frame member 11.

In conjunction with the above-described arrangement, the garment hangerincludes integral means for gripping and holding a garment against thelower frame members. Towards this end, a first elongated jaw member 27is integrally secured to the end portion 13 of the frame member 11 andis arranged to extend in vertically spaced, parallel relation to thefirst lower frame member 25. The jaw member 27 is preferably slightlyoffset from the plane of the frame members 11 and 25 and terminates inan end portion 28 which is integrally secured to a support brace 29extending upwardly into integral connection with the frame member 11.

The jaw member 27 may include an elongated flange portion 30 whichprojects laterally to overlap a portion of the lower frame member 25.

In a similar manner, a second jaw member 31 is integrally secured to theend portion 14 of the frame member 11 and extends in vertically spaced,parallel relation to the lower frame member 26. The jaw member 31terminates in an end portion 32 which is integrally secured to the framemember 11 by means of a support brace 33. The jaw member 31 may alsoinclude an elongated flange portion 34 similar to the flange portion 30as described above.

In order to accommodate slips and the like, the frame member 11 mayinclude a pair of spaced hook portions 35 and 36 for receiving thestraps of a slip in the conventional manner.

The garment hanger is preferably made of a molded plastic material andis constructed such that the jaw members 27 and 31 and the supportbraces 29 and 32 are resilient, whereby the jaw members may be flexedaway from the lower frame members so that a garment may be receivedtherebetween.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the jaw member 31 is normally disposed above thelower frame member 26 in a slightly offset position. As shown in FIGURE3, the jaw member 31 and suport brace 33 may be flexed rearwardly toprovide a space for receiving a garment between the jaw member 31 andlower frame member 26. Upon release of the jaw member, it will tend tomove back to the position of FIGURE 2, thus gripping the garment to holdit in place. It will, of course, be understood that the other jaw member27 functions in the same manner.

A clearer understanding of the manner in which a garment is held by thehanger will be had by referring to FIGURE 4 which shows the top portionof a garment 37 being supported by the hanger 1%). The garment 37 isheld in the position shown by means of the jaw members 27 and 31resiliently urging the garment against the lower frame members 25 and26. It will be apparent that the flange portions 30 and 34-shown inFIGURES 1 through 3will assist in preventing the garment from slippingand falling from between the jaw members and lower frame members. Ifdesired, the flange portions 30 and 34 may be serrated or similarlyformed to increase the gripping engagement on the garment.

The garment 37 may be positioned on the hanger in the following manner:The top portion of the garment may be folded longitudinally in thecenter and moved upwardly in the direction of arrow A into the space 24.The garment itself will then flex the jaw members to the position shownin FIGURE 3 as the edges of the garment are pulled in the directions ofarrows B and C, respectively, to thus unfold the garment to the positionshown in FIGURE 4. It is apparent that the curvature of the supportmembers 20 and 21 facilitates the movement of the edges of the garmentbetween the jaw members 27 and 31 and the lower frame members 25 and 26.The garment may be quickly and easily removed from the hanger by simplypulling the edges of the garment inwardly to the space 24 to thus freethe garment from the hanger, or by pulling it downwardly until it isfree of the gripping action of the jaw members 27 and 31.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that this invention provides a novelhanger incorporating simple and effective means for securely supportinggarments, such as trousers, skirts, and the like without requiringclips,

springs, clamps, and similar conventional devices. Moreover, the hangeris adapted to support other garments, such as slips and shirts.

Various changes falling within the scope and spirit of this inventionwill occur to those skilled in the art. The improved garment hanger is,therefore, not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodimentset forth.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved garment hanger adapted for holding a garment in asuspended position, comprising: a bowed frame member terminating inopposite end portions spaced apart to define a longitudinal extent ofsaid bowed frame member; hook means secured to said frame member; lowerframe means coupled to said opposite end portions of said bowed framemember, said lower frame means having a length less than saidlongitudinal extent of said bowed frame member; an elongated grippingmeans coupled to said opposite end portions of said bowed frame memberin vertically spaced relation to said lower frame means, said grippingmeans being resiliently movable with respect to said lower frame meansfor receiving a garment between said lower frame means and said grippingmeans, wherein said garment is gripped therebetween when said grippingmeans is moved towards said lower frame means; and a pair of supportmembers extending downwardly from said bowed frame member into connectedrelation with said lower frame means, said support members beingangularly spaced to define a generally triangular space for receivingsaid garment in a folded position, wherein said garment may be unfoldedto extend between said gripping means and said lower frame means.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said gripping means includesa pair of longitudinally aligned jaw members terminating, respectively,in end portions being spaced apart for receiving said support memberstherebetween.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, including elongated flange portions onsaid jaw members for gripping said garment.

4. An improved garment hanger adapted for holding a garment in asuspended position, comprising: a symmetrical downwardly bowed framemember terminating in end portions being equi-distantly spaced from thecentral portion of said frame member; a pair of brace members joined tosaid frame member and extending upwardly therefrom; a cross-braceconnecting the upper ends of said brace members, said cross-brace, bracemembers, and frame member defining an open space; a hook member securedto said cross-brace and extending upwardly therefrom; a pair oftransversely bowed support members joined to the central portion of saidframe member and extending downwardly at an angle with respect to eachother, said support members terminating in lower end portions disposedin the plane of said frame member; a first lower frame member extendingbetween one of said lower end portions and one of said end portions ofsaid bowed frame member; a second lower frame member extending betweenthe other of said lower end portions and the other of said end portionsof said bowed frame member, said first and second lower frame membersextending in longitudinal alignment with each other and being disposedin said plane; first and second elongated jaw members joined at firstgiven points, respectively, to said end portions of said bowed framemember and extending in closely spaced parallel relation to said firstand second lower frame members respectively; and support braces joinedto said bowed frame member and extending downwardly into connection withsaid first and second elongated jaw members, respectively at secondgiven points spaced from said first given points, said support bracesand said first and second jaw members being constructed of resilientmaterial whereby they may be flexed to a position beyond said plane forreceiving a top portion of a garment between said first and second lowerframe members and said first and second jaw members, wherein saidgarment is gripped therebetween when said first and second jaw membersare flexed back towards said plane.

5. The subject matter of claim 4, in which said first' and second jawmembers each includes an elongated flange portion for gripping saidgarment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,605,918 11/1926 Buchanan 223913,023,912 3/1962 Sebastian 223-96 XR 2,812,888 11/1957 Henderson 22388PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

1. AN IMPROVED GARMENT HANGER ADAPTED FOR HOLDING A GARMENT IN ASUSPENDED POSITION, COMPRISING: A BOWED FRAME MEMBER TERMINATING INOPPOSITE END PORTIONS SPACED APART TO DEFINE A LONGITUDINAL EXTENT OFSAID BOWED FRAME MEMBER; HOOK MEANS SECURED TO SAID FRAME MEMBER; LOWERFRAME MEANS COUPLED TO SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID BOWED FRAMEMEMBER, SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS HAVING A LENGTH LESS THAN SAIDLONGITUDINAL EXTENT OF SAID BOWED FRAME MEMBER; AN ELONGATED GRIPPINGMEANS COUPLED TO SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID BOWED FRAME MEMBERIN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS, SAID GRIPPINGMEANS BEING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER FRAME MEANSFOR RECEIVING A GARMENT BETWEEN SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS AND SAID GRIPPINGMEANS, WHEREIN SAID GARMENT IS GRIPPED THEREBETWEEN WHEN SAID GRIPPINGMEANS IS MOVED TOWARDS SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS; AND A PAIR OF SUPPORTMEMBERS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BOWED FRAME MEMBER INTO CONNECTEDRELATION WITH SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS, SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS BEINGANGULARLY SPACED TO DEFINE A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR SPACE FOR RECEIVINGAND GARMENT IN A FOLDED POSITION, WHEREIN SAID GARMENT MAY BE UNFOLDEDTO EXTEND BETWEEN SAID GRIPPING MEANS AND SAID LOWER FRAME MEANS.